Lawn-mower



(No Model.)

A L. MEYER.

LAWN MOWER.

No. 25,687. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

egg/5N7 .4 TTOH/VEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS MEYER, OF UTICA, NEV YORK.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,687, dated April15, 1890. Application filed October 14,1889. Serial No. 326,947. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS MEYER, of Utica, in the county of Oneida andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inLawn-Mowers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The objects of my invention are to provide novel and efficient means forthe accurate and convenient adjustment of the knives on the cutter-headof a lawn-mower and for adjusting the grass-roller, furnish thegrassroller with a cover which is adjustable and adapted to protect saidroller from being impeded in its action, provide a throat-slot that isformed in said cover in advance of the roller to discharge grassaccumulations through it, and, further, to provide a protecting-guard onthe front of the frame of the machine, whereby injurious contact withtrees or shrubbery is avoided.

With these ends-in view my invention consists in peculiar features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafterdescribed, and indicated in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lawnmower, having the cover of themultiplyinggear case broken away to expose said gearing. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the lawn-mower. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device insection, taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, Viewed in the direction of theindicating-arrows; and Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional view of one ofthe knife-supporting heads, the knives in place, and a head-shaft.

A A represent the side pieces of the mowerframe. These are shapedpreferably as shown, and one side piece is recessed on its outer face toreceive a series of multiplying wheels and pinions therein, this casingor shallow chamber being covered by a cap-plate A The side pieces A areheld spaced apart by two transverse bolts.

The transverse shaft B serves as an axle for the ground-wheels B, whichare mounted thereon loosely, said wheels being ribbed across theirperipheral faces. Each wheel B is hollowed out on the inner face toproduce retaining-boxes B for the ratchet-wheels B which are secured onthe axle within these boxes, said wheels having their teeth so cut thatthe pawls B will, when depressed by springs B, engage the teeth when themachine is moved forwardly and slide over the teeth without revolvingthe axle when the machine is-moved rearwardly. The largest gear-wheel ofthe series is fastened upon the end of the axle that projects throughthe side piece of the frame in which this gear-wheel is located, and,having meshed engagement with the adjacent pinion of the series, is thusadapted to transmit motion from the axle B, through the meshinggear-wheels and pinions A, to the knife-head-supporting shaft (1 onwhich the last wheel of the series of accelerating or multiplying gearis secured.

The ratchet-gearing on the ground-wheels B is protected by cap-plates c,and against these plates the collars 13 are made to impinge loosely,said collars being mounted on the axle and secured thereto adjustably byset-screws, as shown in Fig. 2.

On the inside faces of the side pieces A integral bracket-boxes B areformed, in which the axle B rotates freely in a forward direction, itbeing understood from the construction of parts that the ground-wheelsmay move in either direction forward or rearward.

In front of the ground-wheel B a transverse cross-roller D is revolublysecured in boxes formed on brackets A adjustablyheld ;to the side piecesA of the main frame by screws passing through slots 9 in the bracketsand engaging the side pieces. A cutterbar D is supported directly infront of the roller D, on a bracket-frame of which it is an integralportion. Connected with the cutter-bar a roller-cover D is formed of ashape to lie curved above the roller and protect it from beingobstructed by long grass as it is cut. At each end of the cover Dintegral arms D of the bracket-frame project upwardly and rearwardlyadjacent to the inner faces of the side pieces A, to which these armsare pivoted at (Z. (See Fig. 3.) The ends of the arms D project betweenthe ears D and are engaged on their top and lower surfaces by theset-screw bolts e, which are inserted in the ears D formed on the sidepieces A, and by their adjustment regulate the height of the cutter-barD and cover D The roller 7 D being journaled to the main frame on whichthe cutter-bar-supporting bracketframe is pivoted to vibrate, it isevident that an adjustment of the bar D for height will change itsdistance from the ground on which the roller bears, so that the rolleris adapted to maintain the cutter-bar at any desired point from theground.

At the base of the cover D a longitudinal slot 12 is formed therein,which will allow grass as it is cut to pass through it, the direction ofrevoluble movement of the roller drawing the grass through and carryingit below the tread of the same. The cover, as

previously indicated, is designed to prevent,

grass from entwining about the roller and fouling it so as toobstruct'its rotary motion and free progressive movement.

On the transverse shaft or, which is journaled in the side pieces Aateach of its ends, three spaced head-blocks C are secured to revolvewith it inside of the frame of the machine. These heads are each of atrefoil form in cross-section, the three eqnally-spaced andsimilarly-shaped limbs thus produced being adapted to receive the unionscrew-plugs C by drilling and tapping holes of proper size in theirsides, as shown at f in Fig. 4.

On the opposite threaded ends of the plugs C the knife-carrying blocks Care adjustably located, the connection being effected by insertion ofthe threaded ends of the plugs into tapped holes formed in the blocks,as shown. The union screw-plugs C have each a middle portion of theirbodies enlarged in diameter, producing short cylindrical hubs, which areradially perforated, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for the reception of apin wrench or spanner, whereby the screws may beoritically adjusted andthe distance of the knives C from the cutter-bar D regulated closely.The center hubs of the union screw-plugs C may also be squared, ifpreferred, as shown in Fig. 2. An ordinary wrench will then be availablefor their adj ustment.

The cutter-knives C are of the usualtwisted form, which gives to theirbeveled cuttingedges a shearing action when the cutter-head blocks and.attached knives are rotated by the gearing A, whose prime movers are theground-wheels B.

On the cross-bar a, that retains the side frame-pieces A spaced apart atthe forward ends A a pliable cover A, preferably made of vulcanized gum,is placed, which is designed to yield when this advance guard of themachine is thrust against a tree, shrub, or rigid obstruction, thusavoiding injury to growing bushes or trees, as well as-protecting themachine from damage to its cutterknives.

The handle-bar E is provided with slightlyelastic arms E, which are bentas shown in Fig. 2, and have each a series of holes formed near theirends at spaced distances apart to permit a change of position andalteration of frame, the edges of the arms resting between the flangesof the plates a and on shoulders produced on said plates, a properdegree of inclination of the handle-bar from the ground is obtained in asimple manner. Means for a quick detachment of the handle is alforded bythe connection described.

From the peculiar construction of the headblocks. 0, whereby the knivesC may be critically adjusted at each end without having to loosen anypart of the device, said knives may be caused to sweep close to thesharp edge of the cutter-bar D, and thus cut with a free shearingact-ionall grass standing or prostrate that. is brought into contact with thecutter-bar edge by the progressive movement of the mower. The distancebetween the axial center of the cutter-heads and the edges of the knivesbeing preserved the same as they wear away assures efficiencyin ac tionat all times, if the knives are sharp.

As there is no cutting action when the ma chine is moved backward, thecutter-knives being dormant, injury to the cutting-edges of said knivesis avoided when the machine is drawn by its handle to any point for useover pavements or in the road where stones may .be encountered.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-.-

1. In a lawn-mowenthe combination, with a knife-supporting shaft, ofspaced headblocks secured thereon, each head-block having a three-limbedcenter piece, three knifeholding blocks, and three union screw-plugs,which are cut with right and left hand screws and by threaded connectionwith the limbs of the center piece and the knife-block are adapted toadjust the knife-blocks radially, substantially as set forth.

2. In alawn-mower, the combination, with a frame, an axle, ground-wheelsthat are loosely'mounted on the axle and made to lock fast to it whenthe machine is moved forward, and multiplying gearing which transmitsmotion from the axle to the cutter-head-supporting shaft, of acutter-head-supporting shaft, cutter-heads mounted thereon, which areeach provided with a three-limbed center piece, three knife-blocks, andthree union screwplugs that are adapted to adjust the knifeblocksradially, and twisted shear cuttingknives, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with a frame having two side piecesheld spaced apart by two bolts, one at each end, multiplying gearinglocated in a recess in one of the side pieces, an axle, twoground-wheels mounted loosely on the axle and provided with IIOratchet-gearing, which looks the wheels tothe axle when these areforwardly moved and release the axle on rearward movement of themachine, of a transverse grass-roller adj usta bly pivoted on the mainframe, a pivoted bracket-frame, to which is secured a cutterbar and acurved cover for the grass-roller, said cover being slottedlongitudinally, a cutter-head shaft journaled in-the side pieces of themain frame, three cutter-head blocks mounted on this shaft, eachhead-block having a three-limbed center piece, three knifeblocks thatare secured to the limbs of the center pieces by right and left handthreads on union screw plugs, and three twisted knives, substantially asset forth.

4. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the cutter-head blocks, ofknife-carrying blocks and reversely threaded screws for holding theknife-blocks, substantially as shown and described.

, 5. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with a main frame, of ahandle-barhaving slightlyelastic bent arms, which are perforated at spacedintervals near each free end, pins secured in the frame, which areadapted to engage opposite holes in the arms by springing these armstoward each other, and two resting-plates on which the edges of the armsimvided with a slot, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a lawn-mower, an elastic covering A for the front cross-bolt ofthe frame of the mower, substantially as set forth.

LOUIS MEYER.

\Vitnesses:

OAn-istrn HEBERT, JOHN DREXLER.

